Yoursay: Rizalman’s ‘crime’ is not knowing how Umno works

YOURSAY | ‘The kuda (horse) has well and truly bolted for him.’

Umno division chief: I was set up, I am not a druggie

Vijay47: While I sympathise with the predicament suffocating Bandar Tun Razak Umno chief Rizalman Mokhtar, rest assured that nothing will come out of these false accusations no doubt engineered by those jealous of your contributions to society, and surely race, religion, and nation.

I am certain you are instead concerned with this wound to your reputation, for like Iago said, "But he that filches from me my good name. Robs me of that which not enriches him. And makes me poor indeed.”

A true lover of the arts will go to any length to relish the pleasure of his passion, and what better place than a karaoke bar between dusk and dawn along Jalan Imbi, not even Chow Kit. How could anyone hold such innocent musical pursuits against you?

Do not grieve, sirrah, for soon the police will doubtless assure all that a drug test had been carried out on you early this year, which had clearly cleared you of any untoward indulgence with drugs.

We are in troubled times, Rizalman, all manner of charges are being laid against Felda whether in Jalan Semarak or elsewhere, Mara in Australia and London, why, even good souls going for well-earned holidays in neighbouring countries.

Rest well, sir, sleep soundly. My only advice would be to perhaps improve your singing, and to not at all attempt “Madu dan Racun” which I believe is the preferred anthem of Bugis seafarers.

Abasir: Rizalman says, “So, don't (reject me) over this petty issue and (forget) about my contributions and good deeds over the last 14 years.”

Loitering in a nightclub at 2.30am, allegedly with drugs in his system is indeed a “petty” issue.

I mean, it’s not like billions of ringgit suddenly appeared in his bank account through Arab magic… wait, come to think of it, that was also a petty issue.

Hank Marvin: He is not behaving according to the values that his party always claims to be champion of.

Whatever the truth about the alleged trap, he shouldn’t have been there in the first place.

Eric LCC: Right on cue! Typical reaction and excuses. Precisely the type and quality of MPs that the ruling party looks for.

Next, they will get the owner of the club to come forward and say that this man was there for some good, wholesome singing and Nescafe tarik. Nothing untoward.

For someone who fits the mould so well, it’s almost a shame he’s obviously being discarded by higher powers.

Red Hero: Just get the karaoke joint to verify the bill for the night to see whether this motley crew was actually drinking Nescafe, sirap bandung, Milo ais, ABC, cendol, etc.

Bogus Warrior: Actually, I believe him if he says it was a set-up. If the police did the raid, and arrested an Umno leader, and publicised it, then for sure there were orders from above. This is Malaysia, after all.

But it’s not looking good for Rizalman. Just a few weeks after he had a crowd chanting his name in Bandar Tun Razak, and he seemingly received the endorsement of Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, and this happens.

There is definitely more than meets the eye here. If I am reading things correctly, it seems like those at the very top of the food chain don’t want him around. But then, he is too much of a small fry to warrant such attention.

No, his arrest must be a way to ‘get’ someone above him in the food chain. Maybe the one who endorsed him?

Too late for Rizalman now. The ‘kuda’ has well and truly bolted for him.

Go 4 Change: I believe there was a set-up. Maybe by other Umno members jealous of your popularity in Bandar Tun Razak.

Clearly, this is the end of the road for you. There’s no coming back from this. Look at former MCA chief Chua Soi Lek. Just resign.

Ib: Wow, are these the stakes for an internal struggle in the ruling party? Not for top posts, but just to be a candidate in one constituency? How dirty does it get?

Drugs charges are no joke. Wonder how much ‘dedak’ has been scattered around for the stakes to be this high.

Rizalman: Why was MACC keen on my urine test results?

Turvy: Yes, if nothing else, this election will turn out to be interesting for the disintegration of Umno.

The entry of former Umno stalwarts, Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Muhyiddin Yassin, has sent a powerful signal that the party is rotten to the core.

This man's story, if true, tells you how scary things have become in this country.

Anonymous_f34cda3a: This is exactly the same “game plan” that was used on jailed opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim. But he was powerful, the second most powerful man in the country. Rizalman… not so much.

So there’s no need for him to wait for the results, no need to wait for the game plan to unfold. Guilty or not, he knows the game is up.

Anonymous_3e86: Police and MACC involved? That really sounds like someone from really high up wants you out. Don’t waste your time, Rizalman. Better that you surrender to their wishes before worse comes your way.

Anonymous_dbc139d6: Politics is a very dog-eat-dog world, especially in the party Rizalman is in. He should have known better than to go to a karaoke bar that mostly serves liquor with elections around the corner.

The damage has been done.

Wong Fei Hoong: I didn’t even know such nightclubs served 3-in-1 Nescafe. - Mkini